Meteorology · Fronts — Wind Shift
In the Northern Hemisphere, as a cold front passes the wind characteristically:
- AVeers (shifts clockwise, e.g., from SW to NW)✓ Correct
- BBacks (shifts counterclockwise)
- CDrops to calm and stays calm
- DReverses 180° instantly with no change in speed
Explanation
In the NH the wind ahead of a cold front is typically southwesterly; as the front passes it veers (clockwise) to northwesterly, usually with gusty, cooler, drier air and rising pressure behind the front.
Authority: Bowditch (Pub. No. 9), frontal wind shifts; WMO
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